Thrace

thumb|Thrace in the modern boundaries of Bulgaria, [[Greece, and Turkey]] thumb|The physical–geographical boundaries of Thrace: the Balkan Mountains to the north, the [[Rhodope Mountains (highlighted) and the Bosporus]] thumb|The Roman province of Thrace thumb|The Byzantine thema of Thrace thumb|Map of Ancient Thrace made by Abraham Ortelius in 1585, stating both the names Thrace and Europe thumb|Thrace and the Thracian Odrysian Kingdom under [[Sitalces c. 431–424 BC, showing the territories of several Thracian tribes]] thumb|250px|right|Thrace in the Odrysian Kingdom showing several Thracian tribes. [[Sapeia was Northern Thrace and Asteia was Southern Thrace]] Thrace (, ; ; ; ) is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe roughly corresponding to the province of Thrace in the Roman Empire. Bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Black Sea to the east, it comprises present-day southeastern Bulgaria (Northern Thrace), northeastern Greece (Western Thrace), and the European part of Turkey (East Thrace). Lands also inhabited by ancient Thracians extended in the north to modern-day Northern Bulgaria and Romania and to the west into Macedonia.

==Etymology== The word Thrace, from ancient Greek Thrake (Θρᾴκη), referred originally to the Thracians (ancient Greek Thrâikes Θρᾷκες), an ancient people inhabiting Southeast Europe. The name Europe (ancient Greek Eurṓpē Εὐρώπη), also at first referred to this region, before that term expanded to include its modern sense.